authority, is indefinitely connected with the race to which they belong, and the world which they inhabit, while that world itself depends on the system of which it is a part. He, therefore, who would secure the accomplishment of any purpose respecting them, must have the supreme controul of the whole system.

Thus arises a twofold view of the Mediator's dominion. He reigns over those who are to be personally interested in the blessings which he obtains for men, and also over all events, persons, and things, on which their being and well-being in any measure depend. This point is often referred to in the New Testament: "Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." "He is made head over all things for the church."

This arrangement must continue till "the mystery of God is finished." Whether, before that event, any other mode of administration will take place, is a question into which it is here needless to enter. The Mediator will thus reign till God "has subjected," not only all enemies, but "all things under his feet."

III. When the purposes of this extraordinary arrangement are accomplished, providential government will revert to its original and natural course. This is the precise point contemplated by the Apostle in the passage before us.

Then, when "all enemies are subdued;" when "all empire and all authority and power are destroyed;" when "death, the last enemy, is destroyed," by the universal resurrection; - then "the end will come," that is, the divine plan of governing the world by a Mediator will be completed. The redeemed will then have reached

their eternal inheritance, their interests will be no more combined with those of unbelievers, their being and happiness will no longer be in any measure dependant on the material or rebellious parts of the universe.

As there will no longer be any reason for the Mediator's controul over the world, he will then resign his government of providence to God in his essential relation. Whether there will be any visible act of resignation, is not determined by Scripture. The affirmative is probable. It seems fit that so stupendous and beneficent a plan should receive magnificent consummation.

Thus it appears, that the kingdom delivered, is not the Mediator's rule over his people, but that authority over the other parts of the world, which was held in subservience to their restoration to perfect holiness and happiness. He will yet retain his dignity as king of saints, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Though his office will be no longer necessary as the meritorious medium of approach to God, yet he will remain the medium of all divine manifestations to the blessed; they will hold immediate intercourse with God in their nature, and under the most endearing relations.

With respect to the world in general, the last act of mediatorial authority will be the general judgment; thenceforth every thing that defileth will be cast out of the kingdom. It is probable, that after the general conflagration, the heavens and the earth will be renewed, but that measure will belong to another economy. After the event predicted in this passage, "the Son himself will become subject to him who subjecteth all things to him, that God may be all in all:" that is, the peculiar manifestation of God inuniverse at large, be evidently subordinate to the glory of the Godhead absolutely considered, and as to supreme dominion over all worlds, God will be all in H*.

all.

ww

HINTS TO SCEPTICS.

THE Scriptures must be what they profess-the revealed will of the Creator, or blasphemous fables. Let those who disbelieve them, unveil the imposture, and convince mankind of the delusion.

Divesting their cause of all insinuation, sophistry, and ridicule, let them, with calm benevolent arguments, scatter the mists which the sacred writings have so long spread over the earth; and after they have chased away every shade of error, let them enlighten the world with information, more just, and irresistible, respecting their Maker and themselves. Let them discover

a

deity more pure, wise, powerful, and gracious, account for the origin and connexion of created beings with greater probability, and show us, on more consistent principles, why we are placed in this mysterious state of existence. Let them publish laws more calculated to civilize and govern society, sanctioned with more powerful and rational motives. Let them vindicate the ways of God to man. Show,

"Why the good man's share in life is bitterness and gall.

"Why the lone widow, and her pining offspring, starves in solitude;

"Whilst luxury in palaces strain the low thoughts to form unreal

wants."

Direct those, who " drag guilt's horrid chain," to certain peace; when all these glorious ends are

with meridian lustre, diffused these cheering views through every nation, kindred, and tongue;" when kings on thrones, and slaves at the oar, are made free from perplexity and sorrow, by the force of their arguments; let them add one glorious discovery more-unveil futurity, and show us life and immortality; or show us, that " Death is nothing, and nothing after death." Let them disarm the monster of his sting; bruise him beneath our feet; convince us, we are not the captives of this

king of terrors." Here, ye lovers of the human race, here unfold the astonishing benevolence of your designs; place yourselves, as in the centre of the sun-" Best image here below of his Creator;" and with the rays he " pours wide from world to world," contemplate myriads of beings shivering on the verge of a dark futurity; see the tremendous misgivings of their minds, and let the sight move you to tears more genuine than those shed over a devoted city;-proclaim to listening worlds the wondrous theme. Let every ear hear, every heart understand, that "death is swallowed up in victory;" when this is done, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will disappear as stars before the rising sun. Truth and peace will spread over the earth; the advocates of revelation will no longer perplex the world with their foolishness-they will become your witnesses-they will publish your glad tidings to the ends of the earth-they will not count their lives dear unto them, if by any means they may spread truths so full of consolation to their fellowcreatures. They wait, then, for this pleasing system; but till it is clearly made known; till it is attended with undeniable evi

GENTLEMEN, IT is not uncommon for you to be at issue with those renowned pretenders to exclusive wisdom, the "Quarterly

Reviewers." Whether the subject relate to the martyrdom of a missionary, the thraldom of millions of unoffending blacks, or the prostration of the understanding and will," before " oracles," whom it is notorious often prostrate them

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selves before Mammon, you and they, I have observed, are generally as far asunder as light and darkness, truth and error, the Scriptures and mere worldly policy. In fact, you are about as cordial as repelling magnets; the space between your respective sides is, by my most moderate calculation, as wide as was the stride of the

far-famed Colossus of Rhodes.

I have, in due course, come in contact with the January number of that Review, which I think myself justified in terming the wrong side; though I do not hesitate to confess, that whether it be owing to some good properties it has, or to some propensities in myself, I have occasionally felt charmed by its attractive qualities; yet, having a strong predilection for the right side, I, as quickly as could be, disengaged myself, purposely to resort to yours, (where I have ever found, inter nos, more liberality, truth, and consistency,) and thus again place the CONG. MAG. in contrast with the QUARTERLY REVIEW.

That I may not misrepresent one side to the other, I shall give my quondam companion's very words, which will enable you to read him out; only wishing you to bear in mind, that the reference marks will direct you to the pros for his cons, and the cons for his pros; a species of opposition to which I was driven by the Reviewer being in opposition to himself.

QUARTERLY REVIEW, JAN.1828. Art. VIII. "United States."

"He [the President of the United States,] derives none of that advantage which the ministers of religion are supposed to confer, by their influence over the minds of the people, and which, in mo-narchical governments, when used with discretion,* is no mean sup

port of the throne. The American government, indeed, has been deeply censured for its laxity and indifference in matters of religion, even on the score of state policy. Ministers of all sects indifferently, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Papists, Unitarians, are seen officiating as Chaplains at the opening of the Sessions of Congress;

and the consequences of this apparent indifference are what might have been looked for. In the total absence of a church establishment, and a national religion, the people, abandoned to their own fancies, have

* The undesigned testimony afforded,

of the possibility of governing a great meant, seems as incautious as is this qualifying clause.

state without the "influence" here

† The "throne" requires no adscititious " support" when it is "established by righteousness," Prov. xvi. 12.

‡ By whom? Evidently not by the governed. May it not have been by those other governments, who, pursuing a different policy, or, perhaps, the same by other means, are appalled at this grand experiment.

split into a

hundred different sects, and some of the lower orders, uneducated and uninformed,† have adopted the wildest notions and conduct than can possibly be imagined.

"It is due, however, to the respectable part of the citizens of the United States, of whatever sect, to state that they are not only observant of religious duties, but cheerfully and willingly tax themselves, sometimes very heavily, in the building of churches and chapels, and in providing funds for the payment of their ministers. The contributions for this purpose, exceed, in many cases, the whole amount of taxes paid to government,§ In Philadelphia alone, we are assured there are more than eighty churches and meeting-houses, all of which are frequented on the Sabbathday.|| In Pittsburgh alone, a city only created the other day, there are no less than ten churches, one of which our author says is in a style of Gothic elegance, worthy an European metropolis. The ministers of the Episcopalian church are said to be more tole

* Liturgical and ceremonial uniformity is the stagnant lake of religion, which generates miasmata, infecting all alike with Laodicean formality, Rev.

iii. 16.

+ Such are in every country. It is peculiar to the "Quarterly" to affect surprise at their adopting the "notions and conduct" here described.

I Thus fall to the ground the solemn forebodings, that no state will propagate religion without the aid of compulsion. Observe the difference between exactions and free-will offerings.

|| Can a better proof be required of the success of their system? What is the case nearer home?

Let the "Quarterly" never again reproach Dissenters with indifference to magnificence and taste, seeing that where Christians are not compelled to support a State Religion besides their own, they have the means to erect noble edifices.

rant* in temper, and consequently more popular among the better classes of society, than the Presbyterians, but many families attend equally, and equally subscribe to, the one and the other, and NO

RELIGIOUS DISPUTES OR BICKERINGS ARE EVER HEARD IN

THE UNITED STATES."‡-р. 294.

"-He [Lieut. de Roos,] admits there is no want of free-schools, to which the farmers send their children, and that reading and writing are acquirements so universally spread over the Union, that whenever one meets with a person ignorant of them, he may be set down as an emigrant Irishman, or a descendant of a Frenchman. Well selected libraries are found in every town. -Newspapers are read by every class of society. - Their number is immense."-p. 296.

"I have made a few references

here, which, I think, may be sufficient to satisfy you, that this Protean gentleman can be both serious and trifling, silly and clever, good tempered and crabbed, cautious and impetuous, highminded and low-minded, just and unjust, religious and

Stop, stop, Whittingham, for goodness sake, and do tell us whether it's a man you are talking of or an oxymoron.

In oxymoron contradictions meet.' "||
Your's, &c.
B. H.

* Who shall henceforth decry the blessings of toleration?

+ Thus practically exemplifying the apostolic precept, "Let brotherly love continue," Heb. xiii. 1.

‡ This completes our triumph. Of what other Christian nation can this be said?

§ How this sentence comports with part of the previous statement, is difficult to show. But it is certainly not equally difficult to show the inconsistencies of the Reviewer.

|| The young Logicians. Part i. p. 45. Thornton, Esq., London.

Southampton, 20th Aug. 1786.

MY DEAREST SIR-I could not be sure of supplies to admit of my absence from home, till some time after you left London; but when I found I could move, gratitude determined my route. The very great kindness we received from Mr. Taylor and Mr. Etty, when we were twice in Hampshire on dear Eliza's account, has made me desirous of paying them one visit of thanks. We arrived here in safety on Wednesday, and on Monday we mean to proceed to Lymington, stay there about a week, and then return hither for a week or ten days, and so home. Mr. Taylor is now quite settled in his new house at Portswood Green, and I am to preach tomorrow morning in the parish church here, where, I suppose, the sound of the Gospel has not been heard for some time, and in the afternoon (probably) at Southampton.

*

*

*

*

I deferred writing to Mr. B******, in hopes of hearing something farther from you to direct me. Before I left home, I received another letter from him, or rather a copy of that which he wrote to you, for there was not a single line to myself. I find by it, that he was sorry he had written to me at all. I cannot wonder if he is displeased with me. If guilty, he will of course be angry, unless the Lord has humbled his breast. If innocent, he will blame me for crediting reports to his prejudice, without the fullest proofs. I own that the charges in my namesake's letter were so gross, that I could not readily believe them. * * I hardly dare say now, such a thing is impossible. I am ready, though not to suspect, yet to fear for them all, and have good reason to fear for myself. For though my danger is not likely to be from the same quarter, I am sensible that the Gospel may be dishonoured in more ways than one. And I know not what I might be drawn into, in a little time, if the Lord were to leave me to my own heart, and to the wishes of my enemy. But as I hope he is pleased to maintain in me some sense of my proneness to fall, and to wander from him, and directs the eye of my expectation to him, to preserve me, I humbly trust

shall be kept. That there has been something amiss and unguarded in Mr. B.'s conduct, I have little doubt. May the Lord heal and restore and sanctify.

When I came from home, Mr. Latrobe was judged to be at the point of death; but as I have not yet seen his name in the papers, I am willing to hope, as all things are possible to our Lord, he may be revived, in answer to prayer. He left London, I believe, in good health, went to pay a visit to Sir Charles Middleton-but was soon and suddenly taken so ill, that he could not be moved. His seems to be, what, in the language of mortals, we call an important life. And when men are removed from a public sphere of usefulness, in which they burn and shine as lights in the world, we are almost tempted to think it strange. As if the Lord had no service for them, but what they can do here. But they who have been faithful in a few things in this world, will be appointed to many things, in the other and better world to which we are hasting. They are lost indeed to us, but they have honorable posts and services waiting for them. They shall be as the angels, who always behold the glory of the Lord, and are always employed in doing his will. This is the true preferment, ent, this is the honor which is worthy our ambition-to be raised from our feeble attempts to serve the Lord upon earth, to serve him perfectly, with all our capacities and powers, in a superior state. Here our service exposes us to many conflicts and crosses, to painful changes, and seasons of comparative darkness-there we shall be all eye, all ear, all heart, all zeal, every wish will be satisfied, and every effect successful. No impediments, no abatements, no opposition, will grieve us then. Oh! for an abiding good hope, through grace, that we shall finish our course with joy, and receive a crown of life from the hands of the righteous unerring Judge-and then, as to all we may yet meet with upon the way, we may cheerfully leave it in the hands of Him who doth all things well.

If Mrs. Wilberforce is with you, we beg you to present our affectionate respects to her-love to Mr. Foster, and to Mr. Bull. May the Lord bless their labours and comfort their hearts, and